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  11. <html>
  12. <head>
  13. <title>Choosing a Phone - Android Accessibility</title>
  14. <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style.css">
  15. </head>
  16. <body>
  17. <div id="main_body">
  18. <h1>Choosing a phone</h1>
  19. <div class="nav">
  20. <div class="nav_back">&nbsp;</div>
  21. <div class="nav_up"><a href="index.html">Up: Android Accessibility</a></div>
  22. <div class="nav_next"><a href="enabling.html">Next: Enabling
  23. Accessibility</a></div>
  24. </div>
  25. <p>There are more than 50 phones worldwide (as of August 2010) that run
  26. versions of the Android operating system. We will list a few of the more
  27. popular models below, but here are the most important things to know before
  28. choosing an accessible phone:</p>
  29. <p>1. <strong>Android version</strong>. Each phone comes with a particular
  30. version of the Android operating system. While the operating system version can
  31. be upgraded at a later date, it is up to the individual carriers to make such
  32. updates available. Since it is hard to predict when these updates will occur,
  33. you should plan on purchasing a phone that already has features that you will
  34. be happy with. The following is a list of available Android versions.</p>
  35. <p>Android versions are sometimes referred to by their code names, which are
  36. generally names of desserts starting with a successive letter of the
  37. alphabet.</p>
  38. <p>
  39. <ul>
  40. <li>Android 1.5: Cupcake
  41. <li>Android 1.6: Donut
  42. <li>Android 2.0 or 2.1: Eclair
  43. <li>Android 2.2: Froyo (short for frozen yogurt)
  44. <li>Android 2.3: Gingerbread
  45. <li>Android 3.1: Honeycomb
  46. <li>Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
  47. </ul>
  48. </p>
  49. <p>Android 1.6 was the first version with accessibility support. Support was
  50. substantially improved in Android 2.0, and support for touchscreen-only devices
  51. was added in Android 4.0 For more information about what accessibility features
  52. were introduced in each version, see the <a href="versions.html">Android
  53. Version Guide</a>.</p>
  54. <div class="note"><span class="n">Important note: </span><p>Carriers and device
  55. manufacturers will sometimes create customized versions of the Android
  56. operating system. For example, HTC often ships phones that include a custom
  57. user interface called HTC Sense. Unfortunately, there is <strong>no
  58. guarantee</strong> that devices with customized Android operating systems
  59. include accessibility support. </p>
  60. <p>If you are wondering whether a particular device includes support for
  61. accessibility, you can check the list below. If the phone isn't listed there,
  62. it is best to check with the carrier or device manufacturer. Also, Wikipedia
  63. has a fairly comprehensive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Android_devices">list of Android devices</a> including information on
  64. the version number and whether or not there is a keyboard.</p>
  65. <p>And be aware that even if a phone running a custom version of Android does
  66. include accessibility, the operating system may still have been altered
  67. enough that specific instructions in this guide may still not apply.</p></div>
  68. <p>2. <strong>Keyboard and tactile buttons.</strong> Android phones come in
  69. a variety of different physical configurations. A physical QWERTY keyboard and
  70. other tactile buttons can make it easier to perform certain actions without
  71. using touch-screen controls. The following is a list of physical buttons that
  72. you might find on an Android phone:
  73. <ul>
  74. <li>Start call
  75. <li>End call
  76. <li>Back
  77. <li>Menu
  78. <li>Home
  79. <li>Search
  80. <li>Camera
  81. <li>Volume up / down
  82. <li>Power
  83. <li>Directional pad or trackball and select button
  84. <li>QWERTY keyboard
  85. </ul>
  86. </p>
  87. <p>The number of physical, tactile controls varies significantly by phone
  88. model. We recommend that you try out a phone at your local store to determine
  89. if it works well for you. If that is impossible, you can find detailed specs
  90. online and find a phone that has the keys that matter the most to you.</p>
  91. <p>Some phones have touch keys, also known as capacitive keys. These keys are
  92. invisible and feel like they're part of the screen, but they're actually
  93. separate, discrete regions. The phone gives you haptic (vibrational) feedback
  94. when you press one of these keys successfully, but it can be hard to position
  95. your finger in the right place before you get the feedback. Some people put a
  96. small piece of tape over the keys to make them more tactile.</p>
  97. <h2>Known-accessible Android phones with "Explore by touch" (as of December
  98. 2011)</h2>
  99. <p>The following devices run Android 4.0 or above and are touchscreen-accessible
  100. via the "Explore by touch" feature.</p>
  101. <ul>
  102. <li><strong>Galaxy Nexus</strong> (Android 4.0)
  103. <ul>
  104. <li>The first Android device with "Explore by touch" for accessible use
  105. without a hardware keyboard.</li>
  106. <li>Has only three tactile buttons (power, volume up, and volume down).
  107. The Back, Home, Recent Apps, and Menu buttons appear at the bottom of
  108. the touchscreen and are touch explorable.</li>
  109. <li>On-screen keyboard is touch explorable.</li>
  110. <li>Very fast and powerful.</li>
  111. <li>In the U.S., available on Verizon.</li>
  112. </li>
  113. </ul>
  114. </ul>
  115. <h2>Known-accessible Android phones with keyboards (as of August 2010)</h2>
  116. <p>The following devices are our top recommendations for accessible phones.
  117. All have full QWERTY keyboards and are known to work well. For each device
  118. we've included a description of the physical tactile buttons and any touch
  119. (capacitive) buttons and their locations on the device.</p>
  120. <ul>
  121. <li><strong>T-Mobile G2</strong> (Android 2.2)
  122. <ul>
  123. <li><div class="note"><span class="n">Please note:</span> Though this
  124. phone is running the standard Android 2.2 operating system and includes
  125. accessibility support, it does not come with TalkBack pre-installed. You
  126. will have to install TalkBack from the Android Market yourself. You will
  127. be guided through this process if you go to the Accessibility menu in the
  128. Settings. For more information on this process, see the section on
  129. <a href="enabling.html">Enabling Accessibility</a>.</div></li>
  130. <li>Four touch buttons in a row below the screen for home, menu, back,
  131. and search.</li>
  132. <li>Beneath the touch buttons, there is a square flat touchpad. You can
  133. move your finger over the touchpad to navigate left, right, up, and
  134. down. The touchpad is clickable and functions as an enter key.</li>
  135. <li>The touchpad can access everything that a directional pad can.</li>
  136. <li>Slide-out tactile keyboard with thin soft keys.</li>
  137. <li>The keyboard includes a QWERTY keyboard and tactile menu and search
  138. keys.</li>
  139. <li>The keyboard also includes three programmable tactile keys, one
  140. located on the left of the spacebar and two on the right. Pressing one
  141. of the programmable keys will take you to a menu where you can choose
  142. an application or action to be associated with the key.</li>
  143. <li>The keyboard does not have a directional pad or arrow keys.</li>
  144. <li>There is no dedicated number row at the top of the letter keys. To
  145. type numbers, you have to use the ALT keys.</li>
  146. <li>Does not have a start or end call button. However, you have the
  147. option to use the power button as the end call button. You can activate
  148. this option in the settings menu.</li>
  149. <li>The volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located
  150. along the top left and bottom right sides of the phone, respectively.
  151. The power button is located along the top edge.</li>
  152. <li>The phone is very fast and powerful.</li>
  153. <li>In the U.S., available on T-Mobile.</li>
  154. </ul>
  155. </li>
  156. <li><strong>LG Ally</strong> (Android 2.1)
  157. <ul>
  158. <li>Tactile buttons on the front for start call,
  159. home, menu, and end call. There are touch keys above those for back and
  160. search.</li>
  161. <li>Slide-out tactile keyboard with large raised keys that are very easy
  162. to type on.</li>
  163. <li>When you slide out the keyboard, you get a QWERTY keyboard, a
  164. four-direction pad with a select button in the center, and tactile
  165. buttons for back, home, menu, and search.</li>
  166. <li>Includes a dedicated number row at the top of the letter
  167. keys.</li>
  168. <li>Includes every physical button mentioned in the section above. The
  169. volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located on the
  170. sides of the phone. The power button is located along the top edge.</li>
  171. <li>Moderately fast and powerful.</li>
  172. <li>In the U.S., this is available on Verizon.</li>
  173. </ul>
  174. </li>
  175. <li><strong>Samsung Epic 4G</strong> (Custom Android 2.1)
  176. <ul>
  177. <li><div class="note"><span class="n">Please note:</span> This
  178. phone runs a customized version of Android 2.1. However, this phone does
  179. include support for accessibility, and TalkBack is included. But keep in
  180. mind that not all applications bundled with this phone by the carrier or
  181. Samsung are accessible. For more information on accessible
  182. applications, please see the <a href="apps.html"> the section on
  183. apps</a>.</div></li>
  184. <li>Four touch buttons in a row below the screen for menu, home, back,
  185. and search.</li>
  186. <li>Large slide-out tactile keyboard with raised keys.</li>
  187. <li>The keyboard features a QWERTY keyboard, PC-style tactile arrow keys
  188. and a separate enter button, and tactile buttons for menu, back, home,
  189. and search.</li>
  190. <li>Includes a dedicated number row at the top of the letter keys.
  191. </li>
  192. <li>Does not have a start or end call button.</li>
  193. <li>The volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located on
  194. the left and right sides of the phone respectively. The power button
  195. is located along the top edge.</li>
  196. <li>The phone is very fast and powerful.</li>
  197. <li>In the U.S., available on Sprint.</li>
  198. </ul>
  199. </li>
  200. <li><strong>Motorola Droid (US) / Milestone (Europe)</strong> (Android
  201. 2.2)
  202. <ul>
  203. <li>Four large touch buttons in a row below the screen for back, menu,
  204. home, and search.</li>
  205. <li>Slide-out tactile keyboard, though the keys are very flat and not
  206. very easy to find by touch.</li>
  207. <li>The slide-out keyboard has a QWERTY keyboard, a four-direction pad
  208. with a select button in the center, and tactile buttons for search and
  209. menu. The four-direction pad is almost flush with the keyboard surface
  210. and can be difficult to use.</li>
  211. <li>There is no dedicated number row at the top of the letter
  212. keys. To type numbers, you have to put the keyboard in symbol mode</li>
  213. <li>Does not have a start or end call button. However, you have the
  214. option to use the power button as the end call button. You can activate
  215. this option in the settings menu.</li>
  216. <li>The volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located
  217. on the right side of the phone. The power button is located along the
  218. top edge.
  219. <li>The phone is very fast and powerful.</li>
  220. <li>In the U.S., this is available on Verizon.</li>
  221. </ul>
  222. </li>
  223. <li><strong>Motorola Droid 2</strong> (Custom Android 2.2)
  224. <ul>
  225. <li><div class="note"><span class="n">Please note:</span> This
  226. phone runs a customized version of Android 2.2. However, this phone does
  227. include support for accessibility, and Motorola has even included a few
  228. applications targeted for users with low or no vision. But keep in mind
  229. that not all applications bundled with this phone by the carrier or
  230. Motorola are accessible. For more information on accessible
  231. applications, please see the <a href="apps.html"> the section on
  232. apps</a>.</div></li>
  233. <li>Four small touch buttons in a row below the screen for menu, home,
  234. back, and search.</li>
  235. <li>Slide-out tactile keyboard with raised keys.</li>
  236. <li>The keyboard features PC-style tactile arrow keys and a
  237. separate OK button.</li>
  238. <li>The keyboard includes tactile buttons for search and
  239. back. It also includes a special microphone tactile button that
  240. triggers a custom Motorola voice search application.</li>
  241. <li>There is no dedicated number row at the top of the
  242. letter keys. To type numbers, you have to put the keyboard in
  243. symbol mode.</li>
  244. <li>This device does not have a start or end call button, but you have
  245. the option to use the power button as the end call button. You can
  246. activate this option in the settings menu.</li>
  247. <li>The volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located on
  248. the right side of the phone. The power button is located along the
  249. top edge.</li>
  250. <li>The phone is very fast and powerful.</li>
  251. <li>In the U.S., this is available on Verizon.</li>
  252. </ul>
  253. </li>
  254. <li><strong>HTC Dream / HTC G1</strong> (Android 1.6)
  255. <ul>
  256. <li><div class="note"><span class="n">Please note: </span>This is a
  257. first-generation phone, and it is slower and less powerful than most
  258. newer phones. Though is not expected to ever be upgraded to Android 2.0,
  259. basic accessibility features do work on Android 1.6.</div></li>
  260. <li>Four round tactile buttons and a clickable trackball in a row below
  261. the screen: start call, home, trackball, back, and end call. There is
  262. also a rectangular tactile menu botton located above the trackball. When
  263. held down, the end call button functions as the power on/off button.</li>
  264. <li>The trackball can access everything that a directional pad can, but
  265. it can be difficult to move it precisely without being able to see the
  266. screen.</li>
  267. <li>Slide-out tactile keyboard with thin but raised keys.</li>
  268. <li>The keyboard includes a QWERTY keyboard and tactile menu and search
  269. keys.</li>
  270. <li>Includes a dedicated number row at the top of the letter
  271. keys.</li>
  272. <li>Includes every physical button mentioned in the section above. The
  273. volume rocker and camera buttons are physical buttons located on the
  274. sides of the phone. The power button is located on the front and doubles
  275. as the end call button.</li>
  276. <li>In the U.S., this is available on T-Mobile.</li>
  277. </ul>
  278. </li>
  279. </ul>
  280. <h2>Phones with keyboards - accessibility unknown</h2>
  281. <ul>
  282. <li><strong>Motorola Droid Pro</strong> (Unreleased)
  283. <ul>
  284. <li>Accessibility unknown - please
  285. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a> if
  286. you've tried it.</li>
  287. </ul>
  288. </li>
  289. <li><strong>Motorola CHARM</strong> (Android 2.1)
  290. <ul>
  291. <li>In the U.S., available on T-Mobile.</li>
  292. <li>Accessibility unknown - please
  293. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a> if
  294. you've tried it.</li>
  295. </ul>
  296. </li>
  297. <li><strong>T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide</strong> (Custom Android 2.1)
  298. <ul>
  299. <li>This is an example of a phone with a custom operating system.
  300. However, some users have reported that they have been able to use it
  301. successfully. If you have more specific information,
  302. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a>.</li>
  303. <li>If the same phone, the HTC Espresso, is sold elsewhere in the
  304. world with an accessible version of Android, please
  305. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a>.</li>
  306. </ul>
  307. </li>
  308. <li><strong>Motorola Devour</strong> (Android 1.6)
  309. <ul>
  310. <li>In the U.S., available on Verizon.</li>
  311. <li>Accessibility unknown - please
  312. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a> if
  313. you've tried it.</li>
  314. </ul>
  315. </li>
  316. <li><strong>Samsung Intercept</strong> (Android 2.1)
  317. <ul>
  318. <li>In the U.S., available on Sprint.</li>
  319. <li>Accessibility unknown - please
  320. <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/">let us know</a> if
  321. you've tried it.</li>
  322. </ul>
  323. </li>
  324. </ul>
  325. <h2>Phones with keyboards that may not be accessible</h2>
  326. <p>The following phones have QWERTY keyboards but are known to have
  327. accessibility issues.</p>
  328. <ul>
  329. <li><strong>Motorola CLIQ / DEXT</strong> (Android 1.5)
  330. <ul><li>Android 1.5 has no accessibility features.</li></ul>
  331. <li><strong>Motorola Backflip</strong> (Android 1.5)
  332. <ul><li>Android 1.5 has no accessibility features.</li></ul>
  333. <li><strong>LG InTouch Max</strong> (Android 1.5)
  334. <ul><li>Android 1.5 has no accessibility features.</li></ul>
  335. </ul>
  336. <h2>Phones without keyboards</h2>
  337. <p>With the exception of devices running Android 4.0 and above, we do not
  338. recommend Android phones without keyboards for accessibility. For your
  339. reference, here is a partial list of some of the more popular Android phones
  340. that <b>do not</b> have a keyboard.</p>
  341. <ul>
  342. <li><strong>Acer</strong> (all models)</li>
  343. <li><strong>Dell</strong> (all models)</li>
  344. <li><strong>Garminfone</strong></li>
  345. <li><strong>GeeksPhone One</strong></li>
  346. <li><strong>General Mobile DSTL1</strong></li>
  347. <li><strong>HTC Aria</strong></li>
  348. <li><strong>HTC Desire</strong></li>
  349. <li><strong>HTC Droid Eris</strong></li>
  350. <li><strong>HTC Droid Incredible</strong></li>
  351. <li><strong>HTC EVO 4G</strong></li>
  352. <li><strong>HTC Hero</strong></li>
  353. <li><strong>HTC Magic / T-mobile MyTouch</strong></li>
  354. <li><strong>HTC Tattoo</strong></li>
  355. <li><strong>Huawei U8230</strong></li>
  356. <li><strong>Lenovo LePhone</strong></li>
  357. <li><strong>LG Optimus</strong></li>
  358. <li><strong>Motorola CLIQ XT</strong></li>
  359. <li><strong>Motorola Droid X</strong></li>
  360. <li><strong>Motorola i1</strong></li>
  361. <li><strong>Nexus One</strong></li>
  362. <li><strong>Samsung Behold 2</strong></li>
  363. <li><strong>Samsung Captivate</strong></li>
  364. <li><strong>Samsung Galaxy</strong></li>
  365. <li><strong>Samsung Galaxy S</strong></li>
  366. <li><strong>Samsung Moment</strong></li>
  367. <li><strong>Samsung Vibrant</strong></li>
  368. <li><strong>Sony Ericsson Xperia X10</strong></li>
  369. <li><strong>Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini</strong></li>
  370. <li><strong>T-Mobile Pulse</strong></li>
  371. <li><strong>T-Mobile Pulse Mini</strong></li>
  372. </ul>
  373. <p>If you have any information about other Android phones that are or are
  374. not accessible, please let us know!</p>
  375. <div class="nav">
  376. <div class="nav_back">&nbsp;</div>
  377. <div class="nav_up"><a href="index.html">Up: Android Accessibility</a></div>
  378. <div class="nav_next"><a href="enabling.html">Next: Enabling
  379. Accessibility</a></div>
  380. </div>
  381. </div>
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